I feel like there is a superstar announcing their retirement before the start of every season, starting with Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter, Kobe Bryant, and this year, David Ortiz. And someone else just announced that they would be retiring after the 2017 season.

Alex Rodriguez.

There are mixed responses to A-Rod’s retirement plans and it is understandable considering the stint A-Rod had with performance enhancement drugs. But he was one of the first players that I looked up to when I was a kid, and even though he has made a few mistakes in his lifetime, there is no doubt that baseball would not be the same without him.

A-Rod’s contract with the Yankees ends after the 2017 season. And he’s not expecting the same type of retirement tour that the Yankees had with Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter. But he feels grateful for all that baseball has given to him, especially last year when he came back from his suspension, and hit 33 home runs which was the sixth-most in MLB history for a player 39 or older.

During an interview after he announced that he would be retiring after the 2017 season, A-Rod said,

“I get treated better today than before my screw-ups. That is hard to believe and it is hard to comprehend sometimes, but I’m grateful for it.”

You will be truly missed A-Rod.

Baseball fans, what are your thoughts on A-Rod announcing his retirement?